Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Aging has announced that implementation of the new Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) system will occur on July 1, 2016. FSSA has been engaged in a redesign of Indiana’s PASRR system since the summer of 2015. FSSA’s Division of Aging (DA) has been working with hospital staff, nursing facility staff, Area Agency on Aging (AAA) staff, and other stakeholders to design an improved pre-admission screening process that is efficient and effective. The new system design utilizes technology that will provide an evidence-based and person-centered approach that will result in more complete assessments, better identification of individuals who require comprehensive mental health evaluations (Level II assessments), and quicker processing timelines. ​

Earlier today, Disability Rights Ohio (DRO), the law firm of Sidley Austin, the Center for Public Representation (CPR), and attorney Sam Bagenstos filed a class action lawsuit against the state of Ohio, including the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, the Ohio Department of Medicaid, and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. The suit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and initiated on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities who are trapped in institutions or are at risk of institutionalization because of Ohio's illegal service system, asserts that the state is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Supreme Court ruling in Olmstead v. L.C. Six named plaintiffs, as well as The Ability Center of Greater Toledo, will represent the class in the suit.

INARF Associate Member Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman has shared that the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on March 21, 2016 that it has begun its next phase of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) audits of covered entities and business associates. The 2016 audit process begins with verification of an entity's address and contact information. Emails are being sent to covered entities and business associates requesting that contact information be provided to OCR in a timely manner. ​

As reported by INARF’s national partner ANCOR, the lead sponsors of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act have introduced three bills to make changes to the program in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC), and Representatives Ander Crenshaw (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Pete Sessions (R-TX) have each sponsored or co-sponsored all three bills in their respective chambers.